The Day We Studied The Names Of Clouds

the day we studied the names of clouds
we were lighter than air, transparent?
well, not really

translucent, perhaps
at least until lunch when we recited
cirrus, cirrus and went in

to eat crepes filled with raspberries,
chanted cumulo, cumuli preparing for the test o

cummulus, thinking of angels, nimbus,
being our Christmas best, is it true: and
nimbus haloing round us the

saturday kitchen sugar cookie cooled afternoon
and dancing to distant bells tied to ribbons;

o, who is holding us down? as we float upwards;

conversant with God and it's all marshmallows with cocoa
suddenly,pillowy fluffed and melting clouds
in chocolate, o peppermint drop and frosted

just waiting to resume
the school weeks before Christmas

and whispering clouds, clouds
pass over the snow shadowed moons so giftwrapping
brilliant

all ivory tuned in our seeming shepherding
when the poem caroled to rose
as gleaming we will herd it home to where

we would o we would be filled, puffed out, 
with tinsely Stars.

mary angela douglas 8 octboer 2017